Everything you need to know about your water supply

How to complain about your water supply using you rights

Ofwat

Water companies are regulated by Ofwat. Each water company must follow the guaranteed standards scheme which is a statutory scheme that provides compensation in the event of service failure.

Ofwat codes of practice

In addition, each company must have various codes of practice. These include its customer code of practice and other codes covering domestic leakage, debt recovery and pipe laying. They also have to have a published charges scheme which outlines the charges the company has to apply for different groups of customer. All companies are required to have complaints procedures.

Ofwat regulates the water and sewerage sectors to drive improvements in service. It monitors each company’s performance, comparing service across the industry and supporting best practice. It will also take action against any company that fails to provide the level of service customers expect.

Ofwat guaranteed standards scheme and your consumer rights regarding water supply

The guaranteed standards scheme includes standards about how a water company must:

make and keep appointments
maintain the right water pressure
deal with interruptions to the supply
answer account queries and complaints.

The standards don’t apply in certain situations – e.g., if the problem is caused by severe weather conditions, industrial action or someone else’s actions.

Water companies compensation

Payment methods

If a company doesn’t agree to the request to pay for bills in a different way, it must tell the consumer this within five working days or pay compensation of £20.

The water company must pay compensation if essential household water supplies are interrupted because of an emergency drought order. This is part of their licence conditions.

Water pressure

Water companies should usually supply water at a minimum of seven metres static head. However, low pressure is allowed if due to drought or essential maintenance work. If the pressure falls below this for an hour or more on at least two occasions in a 28 day period, you’re entitled to a payment or credit of £25.

Only one payment of £25 can be made in any one financial year. If the fall in pressure is due to industrial action or someone other than the water company then no payment will be made.

Water companies notice for change in supply

Water companies should provide a minimum of 48 hours of any interruption to supply and provide details of when it will be restored. If it does not or does not restore supply by the specified time then you are usually entitled to compensation. This is £20 and a further £20 compensation if you don’t receive the first £20 within 20 days.

In cases where an emergency such as a burst pipe has caused interruption the company must restore the water within 12 hours although this rises to 48 hours if it is a strategic main pipe. The company must tell consumers as soon as possible regarding where an alternative water supply can be obtained, when it plans to restore the supply and a telephone number for more information.

Again, if the supply is not restored by the time the company says it will be, then compensation is due. £20 for the first 24 hours and £10 for each further 24 hour period the supply remains unrestored.

If the interruption lasts more than 12 hours, the company should provide an alternative supply. For example, bottled water or tankers in the street known as bowsers could be offered.

Thank you v much @ComplainingCow for this advice http://t.co/T6Op06dQPU , my water co just gave me £25 for short interruption to supply! 😉
— Jamie W (@MrJamieW) October 6, 2014

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A post shared by Helen Dewdney (@thecomplainingcow)

Taking water complaints further

For Scotland write to the Scottish Water and Sewerage Customers’ Council, Northern Ireland, the Water Services Office of the Department of the Environment and for England and Wales, Ofwat where guidelines are similar.

In England and Wales you can then take the matter to the Water Redress Scheme – WATRS for free. It adjudicates on disputes relating to:

bills and payments
metering
water supply, and
wastewater sewerage services.

A decision should be made within 20 days and is binding on the company but not the customer.

Your rights if your water supply has been interrupted

If you are having difficulty paying your water bill see What to do if you can’t pay a water bill by Sara at DebtCamel for help and advice.

Further help with complaining effectively

20 Tips for effective complaining

For masses of information, tips, guidance, laws and regulations and templates for complaining effectively GET THE BOOK! How To Complain: The ESSENTIAL Consumer Guide to Getting REFUNDS, Redress and RESULTS!

Want to get better at complaining? See 101 Habits of an Effective Complainer

Save yourself time and effort finding the laws and wording a letter of complaint and download a template, fill in your details and get that redress

Purchase downloadable templates to gain redress

Templates for complaining about utilities

If, after hours of reading that little lot you still need help then please see How The Complaining Cow can complain for you!

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16 October 2014 07:14
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